Wind-wheel.



No. 823,404. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. E Q. FULLER & E. P. JOHNSTON.

WIND WHEEL;

APPLICATION FILED 320.13. 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELAM Q. FULLER AND ELMER P.- JOHNSTON, OF MILAN, MICHIGAN.

WIND-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 12, 1906.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ELAM Q. FULLER and ELMER P. JOHNSTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Milan, in the county of Washtenaw' and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wind-VVheels, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to wind-wheels, and belongs directly to that class of horizontal wheel-motors driven by the movement of the air, wherein curving blades are em loyed and present upon one side of the wheel a concave surface and on the other side a convex surface, a greater pressure being thus created upon the side presenting the concave face of the blades. Wind-wheels in this class are customarily provided with blades adapted to be closed one upon another by hand when it is desired that the motor cease operations, and they are also equipped-with mechanism actuated by a governor device, whereby the blades are partially closed as the wind rises and opened to a lighter wind.

The object of our invention is the production of special and particularly-constructed parts to effect the automatic control of the blades or wings by the governor.

The particular construction and association of parts constituting our invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 represents a view of the windwheel alone from below with the blades open, and Fig. 2 is a like view with the blades closed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, illustrating the vertical shaft and sliding rack and the bearing in which they revolve. Fig. 4 is a side view of the entire invention. Fig. 5 is a side view of the grooved block detached. Fig. 6 represents a cross-section of the grooved block. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the divided ring which engages the groove in the block.

Like numbers are used to refer to the same parts throughout.

Numeral 1 designates the main frame. In the frame the main vertical shaft 2 has an upper bearing 3 and a lower bearing 4. The channeled cylindrical block 5 revolves in the intermediate bearing 5*. It will be noted in Fig. 3 that the shaft 2, the greater portion of which is squared, and the rack-bar 6 both lie in the channel of the block 5. Bearing 5 is supportedby the cross-pieces 7 of the main frame. The lower cross-beams of the frame are referred to by the numeral 8.

The blades or wings of the Wind-wheel are marked 9, and they are suitably secured upon the vertical shafts 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. The shafts are provided at their opposite ends with sprocket-wheels 10 11 12 13 14 and 15 and the chains 16 e11- gage the sprockets, causing all to turn together, resulting in the opening or closing of the blades 9 in the usual manner. The verthe bevel-gears 17 and 18 on vertical shaft 11 and horizontal short shaft 19, respectively. The shaft 19 is supported by the hangers 20.

The teeth of the rack on bar 6 are marked 21, and a guide-collar 22 is attached to the main vertical shaft 2 and guides the bar when raised or lowered, as explained hereinafter. Attached to bar 6 by a pin or screw 23 is a cylindrical traveling thrust-block 24, through which the shaft 2 and bar 6 pass. The block 24 has an encircling groove 24 and the divided ring 25 occupies the groove movably. These parts are shown by themselves in Figs. 5, 6, and 7. A connectingrod 26 pivotally joins the ring 25 and the arm 27 of a governor 28. The governor is driven by placing, when desired, suitable beltmg on the cone-pulleys 29 and 30, (illustrated in Fig. 1,) the last numbered being upon the horizontal shaft 31 of the motor. Shaft 31 is driven by the main shaft through the engagement of the bevel-gears 32 and 33.

To operate the blades by hand, we employ a lever 34, having a thumb-latch 35 and a chain-link 36 adapted to he slipped over the thumb-piece of the latch to hold the detent 37 out of the teeth of the fixed plate 38. When the detent engages the toothed plate 38, it is believed to be clear that owing to the connecting-piece 39 and rods 40, which couple the lever 34 pivotally with divided ring 25, and consequently with block 24, the rack-bar cannot rise or fall and blades 9 will be held stationary, as stated in the explanatical shaft carrying blades 9 is revolved by pass through bars 48 at the top and bottom of the wheel and are thus held revoluble in a vertical position.

In the operation if the handle of lever 34 opens the blades, as shown in Fig. 1. By

fixing the lever in any of its intermediate positions a more .or less open condition of the blades results.

If it is desired to employ the governor, the two cone-pulleys 29 and 30 are belted together and the thumb-latch locked by the chain-link 36 to withdrawn detent 37 from the teeth of plate 38. Now the rise of arm 27 as the speed of the wheel increases raises bar 6 and correspondingly closes the blades 9. As the speed falls the blades reopen. By reason of the movable clasp of divided ring 25 in the groove of block 24 the ring remains stationary, while the block, and with it shaft 2, and the rack-bar 6 revolve with the windwheel. The block in addition to its rotation may be given a sliding movement up and down on shaft 2, as already explained. Both the rack-bar and shaft 2 revolve together, the bearing-block 5 being constructed to permit it. At the same time the rack-bar may be given a sliding movement up and down along the shaft, as has been stated, to effect the opening and closing movement of the blades 9.

Having thus described our invention and explained the mode of its operation, what we claim is 1. In a Wind-wheel, the combination with the blades, of the vertical shafts secured to the blades, sprockets secured to the ends of the said vertical shafts, the chains engaging all said sprockets and compelling said blades movably on said main shaft, a bearing constructed to hold said shaft and rack-bar rotatively, a governor, and connecting devices whereby the movements of the governor actuate the said rack-bar, substantially as described.

2. In a wind-wheel, the combination with the blades, of the vertical shafts secured to the blades, sprockets secured to the ends of the said vertical shafts, the chains engaging all said sprockets and compelling said blades to move simultaneously, a horizontal shaft 19, and gearing connecting said shaft 19 and one of the said vertical shafts, a vertical main shaft, a rack-bar arranged to slide upon the said main shaft and to revolve with it, a pinion on said shaft 19 engaging the rack of said rack-bar, means for securing said rack-bar movably on said main shaft, a bearing constructed to hold said shaft and rack-bar rotatively, a lever, connecting devices whereby the lever may actuate said rack-bar during its revolution, latching devices adapted to secure the lever, a governor, and connecting devices whereby the movements of the governor actuate the said rack-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

ELAM Q. FULLER. ELMER P. JOHNSTON.

Witnesses.

LINN BARNES, O. A. HEATH. 

